Patterned web cutting method and system for operation manipulation of displayed nested templates relative to a displayed image of a patterned web

A web cutting system comprising:

• image capture means, for capturing an image of a section of a web;
• electronic controlling means, connected to said image capture means, comprising:
• means for storing a first template pattern having a plurality of nested templates for the web;
• means cooperating with said storing means, for displaying at least part of the captured image of the web section, with corresponding ones of the plurality of nested templates superimposed thereon;
• means cooperating with said displaying means, for effecting movement of the displayed nested templates relative to the displayed image of the web section, to align the displayed nested templates to the displayed image of the web section, and thereby produce a second template pattern for the displayed nested templates;
• and
• means cooperating with said movement effecting means, for converting the second template pattern into cutting instructions for the web section;
• and
• web cutting means, connected to said controlling means, for cutting said web section according to the cutting instructions;
• wherein said controlling means comprises a computer workstation operatively connected to a computer numerical controller.

A web cutting system comprising:

• image capture means, for capturing an image of a second of a web;
• electronic controlling means, connected to said image capture means, comprising:
• means for storing a first template pattern having a plurality of nested templates for the web;
• means cooperating with said storing means, for displaying at least part of the captured image of the web section, with corresponding ones of the plurality of nested templates superimposed thereon;
• means cooperating with said displaying means for effecting movement of the displayed nested templates relative to the displayed image of the web section, to align the displayed nested templates to the displayed image of the web section, and thereby product a second template pattern for the displayed nested templates;
• and
• means cooperating with said movement effecting means, for converting the second template pattern into cutting instructions for the web section;
• web cutting means, connected to said controlling means, for cutting said web section according to the cutting instructions;
• conveying means, connected to said controlling means, for conveying the web from said image capture means to said web cutting means, said conveying means comprising a flat wire conveyor;
• and wherein said controlling means further comprises:
• means for controlling said conveying means to convey said web section to said image capture means for capturing the image thereof, and to subsequently convey said web section to said web cutting means, for cutting the web section according to the cutting instructions.

A cutting system comprising:

• a conveyor including a plurality of flat-faced, serpentine, nested wires, spaced apart from one another, with the flat faces thereof facing one another;
• and a plurality of rods, each of which passes through at least a pair of adjacent ones of said flat-faced, serpentine nested wires for maintaining said flat-faced serpentine wires spaced apart from one another;
• and
• a laser beam for cutting an article carried on said conveyor, the faces of said flat-faced serpentine wires being oriented parallel to said laser beam;
• whereby minimal area of said conveyor is exposed to said laser beam.

A cutting system comprising:

• a conveyor including a plurality of flat-faced, serpentine, nested wires, spaced apart from one another, with the flat faces thereof facing one another;
• and a plurality of rods, each of which passes through at least a pair of adjacent ones of said flat-faced, serpentine, nested wires for maintaining said flat-faced serpentine wires spaced apart from one another;
• and
• a water jet for cutting an article carried on said conveyor, the faces of said flat-faced serpentine wires being oriented parallel to said water jet;
• whereby minimal area of said conveyor is exposed to said water jet.

A web cutting system comprising:

• movable laser beam cutting means;
• means for conveying the web past said movable laser beam cutting means;
• and
• means for controlling said movable laser beam cutting means and said conveying means to cut the web by simultaneously moving said conveying means and said movable laser beam cutting means;
• wherein said conveying means comprises a plurality of flat-faced, serpentine nested wires, spaced apart from one another, with the flat faces thereof facing one another;
• and means for maintaining said flat-faced serpentine wires spaced apart from one another;
• and
• wherein the laser beam is oriented parallel to said flat faced serpentine wires, whereby minimal area of said conveying means is exposed to said laser beam.

A web cutting system comprising:

• movable water jet cutting means;
• means for conveying the web past said movable water jet cutting means;
• and
• means for controlling said movable water jet cutting means and said conveying means to cut the web by simultaneously moving said conveying means and said movable water jet cutting means;
• wherein said conveying means comprises a plurality of flat-faced, serpentine, nested wires, spaced apart from one another, with the flat faces thereof facing one another;
• and means for maintaining said flat-faced serpentine wires spaced apart from one another;
• and
• wherein the water jet is oriented parallel to said flat faced serpentine wires, whereby minimal area of said conveying means is exposed to said water jet.

A web cutting method, comprising the following steps:

• capturing an image of a first section of a web;
• aligning a displayed plurality of nested templates relative to a displayed previously captured image of a second section of the web, to generate customized cutting instructions for the second section of the web;
• and
• cutting a third section of the web in accordance with previously generated customized cutting instructions for the third section of the web;
• wherein said capturing, aligning and cutting steps are performed simultaneously;
• whereby each section of the web is cut at high speed using customized cutting instructions which are generated for each specific section of the web.

A patterned fabric cutting system comprising:

• a fabric conveyor for conveying patterned fabric along a first direction;
• a video camera mounted adjacent said fabric conveyor at a first location thereon, for capturing an image of the patterned fabric at said first location;
• a frame grabber, connected to said video camera for digitizing the captured image of the patterned fabric at the first location;
• a memory device, connected to said frame grabber, for storing therein the digitized captured image of the fabric at the first location;
• a data storage device, for storing therein a first template pattern for the patterned fabric;
• an operator display;
• a cutting station mounted adjacent said fabric conveyor at a second location thereon, spaced from said first location along said first direction, for cutting the patterned fabric at the second location;
• and
• a computer, operatively connected to said memory device, said data storage device and said operator display, said computer comprising:
• a nesting module, for obtaining from memory device a stored, digitized, captured image of a first section of the patterned fabric and for displaying the obtained image on said operator display;
• for obtaining at least part of the first template pattern from said data storage device and for displaying the obtained first template pattern on said operator display, superimposed on the displayed obtained image;
• said nesting module being responsive to operator commands for aligning the first template pattern to the fabric pattern in the displayed obtained image to produce a customized template pattern for the first section of the patterned fabric;
• and
• a cut queue module cooperating with said nesting module, for converting the customized template pattern into customized cutting instructions for the first section of the patterned fabric;
• a computer numerical controller operatively connected to said computer, said fabric conveyor and said cutting station, for controlling said conveyor to move said first section of the patterned fabric in said first direction to the second location;
• and for controlling the cutting station to cut the first section of fabric in accordance with the customized cutting instructions for the first section of fabric;
• whereby the patterned fabric is cut based upon customized cutting instructions therefor.